Lifting tongs locking unit



May 15, 1956 F. PEYER 2,745,695

LIFTING TONGS LOCKING UNIT Filed March 9, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 1NVENTOR FQ'rlZIZZ: lqye May 15, 1956 F. PEYER 2,745,695

LIFTING TONGS LOCKING UNIT Filed March 9, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORflank Peyer.

May is, 1956 F. PEYER 2,745,695

LIFTING TONGS LOCKING UNIT Filed March 9, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORFrail}: .Peyer BY f/W? United States Patent LIFTIN G TONGS LOCKING UNITFrank Peyer, Bethlehem, Pa., assignor to Bethlehem Steel Company, acorporation of Pennsylvania Application March 9, 1951, Serial No.214,749

13 Claims. (Cl. 294-118) This invention relates to tongs of the typeadapted for lifting heavy articles such as ingots, slabs, billets or thelike.

The object of the invention is to provide tongs of this character whichwill operate automatically both for gripping or engaging the article andfor releasing the same, these results being accomplished by raising andlowering the tongs, as by means of a crane.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide means which will holdthe tongs in one or more predetermined open or closed positions so thatthe tongs may engage automatically to lift one piece or a plurality ofpieces which are placed one above the other.

Another object of my invention relates to tongs which operateautomatically for gripping the article on engagement therewith and forlifting the same and for automatically disengaging the tongs when thearticle is deposited in the desired location.

Another improvement in my invention relates to the locking latch and theshield lever which are operated automatically during the lifting andlowering operations of the tongs to alternately cover or uncover theentrance of the lower upwardly extending hook member.

With the foregoing and other objects in view the invention will be morefully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed outin the appended claims.

Referring now to the accompanying three sheets of drawings which form apart of this specification and in which like characters of referenceindicate like parts.

Figure l is a front elevation of the tongs showing it gripping a singlebar or slab in the position it will assume at the beginning of thelifting operation.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the tongs shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detail of the handle for manually operating the adjustmentlever.

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the tongs in the position it will assumefor lifting three bars or slabs just after the tongs have been loweredinto engagement therewith and before the gripping jaws are closedthereon.

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the lower upstanding hook detached.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the hook shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the adjustment lever.

Fig. 8 is a front elevation of the shield lever detached.

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the shield lever shown in Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the locking latch.

Fig. 11 is a detail view showing the pivoted hanging hook engaging thelower end of the locking latch which is in the raised position and theshield lever disengaged therefrom with the front plate of the upwardlyextending hook removed to more clearly show the construction.

Fig. 12 is a similar view but showing the pivoted hanger hook disengagedand the locking latch in the lower position and the swinging end of theshield lever in its lower postion to close the entrance to theupstanding lower hook member. i

2,745,695 Patented May 15, 1956 Fig. 13 shows the pivoted hanger hookjust after it has raised the shield lever and the locking latch lowered,and Fig. 14 shows the pivoted hanger hook lowered ready to be moved intothe lifting position and the shield lever locked in position by thelocking latch.

For illustration I have shown the tongs especially adapted for liftingand transporting articles such as rectangular shaped bars or slabs butit will be understood that the tongs may be used for other shapesequally as well.

Referring now to the various characters of reference on the drawings,the numerals 1 and 2 indicate the male and female members of the tongswhich are pivoted together at an intermediate point by means of a pin 3,each tong member having a downwardly extending arm 4 provided withgripping jaw 5 secured thereto and an upwardly extending tong lever arm6. Diagonally extending male and female links 7 and 8 are pivotallyconnected by means of pins 9 and 10 to the upper ends of the tong leverarms 6 respectively, and are connected together at the inner ends by apin 11 which also secures a clevis 12 by means of which the tongs may besuspended from a suitable support such as an overhead crane or the like(not shown).

The male and female links 7 and 3 consist of steel plates cut to thedesired contour and held in proper spaced relation by welded connectingplates 13 and 14.

The male tong member 1 is provided with an upwardly extending hook 15which is welded thereto centrally above the pivot pin 3. This upwardlyextending hook 15 is provided with side plates 16 and 17, the lowerportions of which are connected together by means of a plate 18 weldedthereto, and the top portions of plates 16 and 17 are held in spacedrelation for receiving a shield lever 19 by means of plates 20 and 21.The upper portion of the hook 15 is also provided with a rectangularshaped recess 22 and a slideway 23 for receiving a locking latch 24having side plates 25 connected at the top by a rod 26 square in crosssection to engage the recess 22 and at the bottom ends by means of a rod27 having a rounded upper surface adapted to be received in' the recess28 of the hook 15.

The shield lever 19 has one end pivoted to the side plates 16 and 17 asat 29, and comprises a nose portion 30 adapted to normally close theentrance 31 to recess 28 of the lower hook 15 and is provided with ashoulder 32 adapted to be engaged by the upper swinging hook member 33upon the operating of the tongs, to rotate the shield lever 19 touncover the entrance 31 to the lower hook member 15. This shield lever19 is also provided with a second shoulder 34 which is adapted to beengaged by the rod 26 of the locking latch 24 mounted in the slideway 23in the lower hook member 15 to retain the shield lever in its lastmentioned position so that the upper swinging hook 33 may engage therecess 28 in the lower hook member when the tongs are lifted to retainthe tongs in their open position until they are again lowered.

' The upper end of the swinging member 33 has its upper end 35 pivotedon the pin 11 between the inner ends of the diagonally extending links 7and 8 and is weighted or enlarged as at 36 to normally hold the swinginghook 33 in a vertical position and is also provided with a stopprojection 37 for engaging a stop plate 38 which is welded to link 7 forlimiting its forward swinging movement.

In order to automatically lift one or more slabs or the like in oneoperation an adjustment lever 39 of the toggle link type is used whichis pivotally connected to the lower portions of the tong members 1 and2. These links are each formed with side plates secured together inspaced relation and attached to the outer faces of the tong members. Oneof the toggle link members 40 is shorter than the other and has itsouter end pivoted by means of a bolt 41 to the tong member 2, while theinner end is pivoted by means of a bolt 42 to the lower end of asomewhat longer link 43 which is mounted for adjustment on the tongmember 1 by means of a pin 44, which extends through the tong member 1with its ends projecting beyond the side faces to engage notches 45, 46and 47 in the side flanges of the link 43.

The upper ends of side plate flanges of link 43 are connected togetherby means of a bolt 48-and also provided with pipe spacer 49 secured inplace by means of a bolt 50.

In order to' assist in adjusting the toggle link a bracket 51 is Weldedto the top end portion of the female tong member 2 in which is mounted asheave 52 by means of a bolt 53 for receiving a wire rope 54, the lowerend of which is secured to the bolt 42, while the upper end portionextends around the sheave 52 and the end secured to a handle 55 and isfurther provided with a counterweight 56 to assist in balancing theadjustment lever 39 if desired.

The tongs operate automatically in the following manner: Assuming thatthe books 15 and 33 are in engagement with each other and the parts arein the positions indicated in Figs. 4 and 11 a crane having a connectionwith the clevis member 12 can lift and transport the tongs to thedesired location. The tongs are then lowered slowly until the centralportion of the adjustment lever 39 engages the slabs 57 or the like asindicated in Fig. 4.

In this position the locking latch 24 will be raised above the shieldlever 19. The upper swinging hook 33 will then be lowered slightly untilit assumm the position shown in Fig. 12 with the locking latch 34 downand the nose portion 30 of the shield lever 19 closing the entrance 31to the recess 28. The swinging hook 33 will then be raised therebyengaging the shoulder 32 of the shield lever 19 thereby rotating it intothe position shown in Fig. 13, and during this operation the grippingjaws will be moved into gripping engagement with the slab as shown inFig. 1. The crane can then lift and transport the slab to the desiredlocation during which time the free end of the shield lever 19 willswing slightly downward until the shoulder 34 engages the rod portion 26of the locking latch 24 thereby holding the shield lever 19 in the 4position shown in Fig. 14.

After the slab or the like has been deposited wherev desired, theswinging hook 33 is again lowered to the position shown in Fig. 14thereby opening the jaws.

The swinging hook 33 can then be raised into the position shown in Figs.4 and 11 and the operations above described repeated.

In Fig. 1, I have shown the adjustment lever 39 in the position it willassumefor engaging and lifting one bar or slab, and for this purpose theends of the pin 44 are inserted in the upper notches 47 of the sideflanges of the link 43. If it is desired to lift two slabs at one timethe ends of the pin 44 will be inserted in the notches 46 as indicatedin dotted lines in Fig. 4. Hit is desired to lift three slabs the endsof pin 44 will be inserted in the lower notches 45. During theadjustment of the lever the upper end of the link 43 is swung inwardlymanually so that the ends of the pin 44 will be disengaged from thenotches 45, 46 or 47 and then reinserted in the desired notch. Thehandle and the wire rope connection 54 with the bolt 42 may be employedto assist in this operation.

Although I have shown and described my invention in considerable detail,I do not wish to be limited to the exact construction shown anddescribed, but may use such substitutions, modifications or equivalentsthereof, as are embraced within the scope of my invention, or as pointedout in the claims.

,1 claim:

e 1. In an article handling tong, comprising a pair of tong leverspivoted together at an intermediate point, each having a downwardlyextending arm with gripping jaws mounted thereon and an upwardlyextending lever arm, a link pivoted to the upper end of each lever arm,a pin for pivotally connecting the inner ends of the links having anupper hook mounted thereon for swinging movement, means connected to thepin for suspending and movably supporting the tong, a lower fixed hookpositioned upright on one tong member, a shield pivotally mounted in thelower hook member having a movable swinging nose portion adapted tonormally close the entrance to the recess of the lower fixed hook memberand provided with a shoulder adapted to be engaged by the upper swinginghook member upon the operation of the tong to rotate the nose of theshield to uncover and open the entrance to the recess in the lower hookmember, and a locking latch for holding the shield in the open position.

2. In an article handling tong, comprising a pair of tong levers pivotedtogether at an intermediate point, each having a downwardly extendingarm with gripping jaws secured thereto and an upwardly extending leverarm, a lower fixed hook positioned upright on one of the tong levers, alink pivoted at its outer end to the upper end of each lever arm, a pinpivotally connecting the inner ends of the link having an upper hookmounted thereon for swinging movement, a stop for limiting the swingingmovement of the hook, means connected to the pin for suspending andmovably supporting the tong, means adapted to move the upper hooklaterally out of engagement with the lower hook during the downwardmovement of the tong when engaging an article, a shield pivotallymounted in the lower hook member having a movable swinging nose portionadapted to normally close the entrance to the recess of the lower fixedhook member and adapted to retain the upper hook out of engagement withthe lower hook during the upward movement of the tong in lifting anarticle.

3. In an article handling tongs comprising a pair of tong levers pivotedtogether at an intermediate point, each having a downwardly extendingarm with a gripping jaw rigidly mounted thereon and an upwardlyextending lever arm, a pair of links pivoted to the upper end of eachlever arm, a pin pivotally connecting the inner ends of the pairs oflinks having an upper hook mounted thereon for swinging movement, aclevis mounted on the pin for suspending and movably supporting thetongs, a lower fixed hook positioned upright on onetong member, means onsaid lower fixed hook to swing the upper hook laterally into or out ofengagement with the lower hook during the vertical movement of thetongs, and an adjustment lever of the toggle link type having its outerends pivotally connected to the downwardly extending arms of the tonglevers, the total length of said adjustment lever being greater than thecombined distances from the pivot point of the tongs to the pivot pointsconnecting the adjustment lever to said downwardly extending arms, saidadjustment lever being adapted when the tongs are lowered for thecentral portion of the adjustment lever to contact with the article forholding the gripping jaws of said tongs in a plurality of openpositions.

4. In an article handling tongs, comprising a pair of tong leverspivoted together at an intermediate point, each having a downwardlyextending arm with a jaw rigidly mounted thereon and an upwardlyextending lever arm, a pair of links having their outer ends pivoted tothe upper end of each lever arm, a vpin pivotally connecting the innerends of the pairs of links, an upper hook mounted thereon for swingingmovement, a stop for limiting the swinging movement of the upper hook,

move the upper hook laterally out of engagement with the lower hookduring the downward movement of the tongs when engaging an article, anda shield pivotally mounted in the lower fixed hook member having amovable swinging nose portion adapted to normally close the entrance tothe recess of the lower fixed hook and adapted to retain the upper hookout of engagement with the lower hook during the upward movement of thetongs in lifting an article.

5. An article handling tongs, comprising a pair of tong levers pivotedtogether at an intermediate point, each having a downwardly extendingarm with a gripping jaw secured thereto and an upwardly extending leverarm, a link having one end pivoted to the upper end of each lever arm, apin pivotally connecting the inner ends of the links having an upperhook member mounted thereon for swinging movement, a clevis mounted onthe pin for suspending and movably supporting the tongs, a lower fixedhook positioned upright on a tong member, a recess formed in the lowerfixed hook, means on the lower fixed hook adapted to swing the lower endof the upper hook laterally to release it from the lower hook andactuated by the lowering of the tongs, a shield pivotally mounted in thelower hook member having a movable swinging nose portion adapted tonormally close the entrance to the recess of the lower hook, said shieldhaving a shoulder adapted to be engaged in raising the upper hook inlifting the article to rotate the shield to open the entrance to therecess in the lower hook member, and a locking latch for holding thenose of the shield in the raised open position.

6. In an article handling tongs, comprising a pair of tong leverspivoted together at an intermediate point, each having a downwardlyextending arm with a gripping jaw rigidly mounted thereon and anupwardly extending lever arm, a pair of links having one end pivoted tothe upper end of each lever arm, a pin pivotally connecting the innerends of the links having an upper hook mounted thereon for swingingmovement, a clevis mounted on the pin for suspending and movablysupporting the tongs, a lower fixed hook positioned upright on a tongmember, a recess formed in the lower fixed hook, means on the lower hookfor swinging the lower end of the upper hook laterally out of engagementwith the lower hook during the downward movement of the tongs whenengaging the article, a shield pivotally mounted in the lower fixed hookhaving a movable swinging nose portion adapted to close the entrance tothe recess in the lower hook member and to retain the upper hook memberout of engagement with the lower hook member during the upward movementof the tongs in lifting the article, said shield having a shoulderadapted to be engaged by the upper hook member during its upwardmovement in lifting the article to rotate the shield to open theentrance to the recess of the lower fixed hook member.

7. In an article handling tongs, comprising a pair of tong leverspivoted together at an intermediate point, each having a downwardlyextending arm with a gripping jaw secured thereto and an upwardlyextending lever arm, a pair of links pivoted to the upper end of eachlever arm, a pin pivotally connecting the inner ends of the pairs oflinks having an upper hook mounted thereon for swinging movement, aclevis connected to the pin for suspending and movably supporting thetongs, a lower relatively fixed hook positioned upright on one tongmember, a recess and a slideway formed in the relatively fixed hook, alocking latch mounted in the slideway, a shield lever pivoted to thelower hook provided with a shoulder adapted to be engaged by the upperswinging hook member upon the operating of the tongs to rotate theshield lever to uncover the entrance to the recess in the lowerrelatively fixed hook member.

8. In an article handling tongs, comprising a pair of tong leverspivoted together at an intermediate point,

each having a downwardly extending arm with a gripping jaw securedthereto and an upwardly extending lever arm, a link pivoted to the upperend of each lever arm, a pin pivotally connecting the inner ends of thelinks having an upper hook mounted thereon for swinging movement, aclevis pivoted on the pin for suspending and movably supporting thetongs, a lower fixed hook positioned upright on one tong member, arecess formed in the lower fixed hook, means on said lower hook adaptedto swing the lower end of the upper hook laterally out of engagementwith the lower hook during the downward movement of the tongs intoengagement with the article, a shield pivotally mounted in the lowerhook member having a swinging nose portion adapted to normally close theentrance to the recess in the lower hook member to retain the lower endof the upper hook out of engagement with the lower hook during theupward movement or" the tongs when lifting the article, said shieldhaving a shoulder adapted to be engaged by the upper hook during itsupward movement to raise the nose portion of the shield to open theentrance to the recess to the lower hook, a locking latch for holdingthe nose portion of the shield in the raised position to permit theupper hook to engage the lower hook upon the downward movement of thetongs in releasing the tongs from the article and to lock the tong inthe open position while is being lifted from the article.

9. in an article handling tongs, comprising a pair of tong leverspivoted together at an intermediate point, each having a downwardlyextending arm with a gripping jaw secured thereto and an upwardlyextending lever arm, a pair of links having their outer ends pivoted tothe upwardly extending lever arms, a pin pivotally connecting the innerends of the links, having an upper hook mounted thereon for swingingmovement, a clevis mounted on the pin for suspending and movablysupporting the tongs, a lower fixed hook positioned up right on a tongmember having a recess formed therein, a shield pivotally mounted on thelower hook member having a forward swinging nose portion adapted tonormally close the entrance to the lower hook member, a shoulderextending from the shield member adapted to be engaged by the upper hookmember in its upward movement upon the opening of the tongs to rotatethe shield to uncover the entrance to the lower hook memher, avertically extending slideway formed in the lower hook member, a lockinglatch mounted for vertical movement in the slideway, a second shoulderextending from the shield adapted to be engaged by the locking latchmounted in the slideway of the lower hook member to retain the nose ofthe shield in the raised position to permit the upper hook member afterbeing lowered to engage the lower hook when the tongs are again liftedto retain the gripping jaws of the tongs in their open position untilthe tongs are again lowered.

10. in an article handling tongs, comprising a pair of tong leverspivoted together at an intermediate point, each having a downwardlyextending arm with a gripping jaw secured thereto and an upwardlyextending lever arm, a pair of links having their outer ends pivoted tothe upwardly extending lever arms, a pin connecting the inner ends ofthe links having an upper hook mounted thereon for swinging movement, aclevis mounted on the pin for suspending and movably supporting thetongs, a lower fixed hook positioned upright on a tong member below theupper swinging hook having a recess formed therein, means on said lowerfixed hook adapted to swing the lower end of the upper hook member intoor out of engagement with the recess in the lower hook member, a shieldpivotally mounted on the lower hook member having a forward swingingnose portion adapted to normally close the entrance to the lower hookmember, a shoulder extending from the shield member adapted to beengaged by the upper hook member in its upward movement upon theoperation of the tongs to rotate the shield to uncover the entrance ofthe recess in the lower hook member, a vertically extending slidewayformed in the lower hook member, a locking latch mounted locking latchmounted on the slideway of the lower hook member to retain the nose ofthe shield in the raised position, and means when the upper hook memberis in operative relation with the lower hook member to elevate thelocking latch above the second shoulder of the shield for the shield toreturn to its normal position to close the entrance to the recess to thelower hook member.

-11.'Article handling apparatus comprising a pair of tongs pivotallyconnected at a point intermediate their ends, each tong having adownwardly extending jaw member and an upwardly extending lever arm, anda pair of toggle links having their outer ends pivotally connected tosaid jaw members, the combined lengths of said toggle links beinggreater than the combined distances from the pivot point of the tongs tothe pivot points connecting said links to said tongs.

'12. Article handling apparatus comprising a pair of tongs pivotallyconnected at a point intermediate their ends, each tong having adownwardly extending jaw member and an upwardly extending lever arm,latching means on said tongs adapted on successive cycles of raising andlowering the itongs to alternately hold the jaws open and closed, and apair of depending toggle links having their outer ends pivotallyconnected to said jaw members, the combined lengths of said toggle linksbeing greater than the combined distances from the pivot point of thetongs to the pivot points connecting said links to said tongs,

13. Article lifting apparatus comprising a pair of tongs pivotallyconnected at a point intermediate their ends, each tong having adownwardly extending jaw member and an upwardly extending lever arm,stop means secured to said tongs and projecting downward between saidjaws and adapted to contact the article to be lifted,

and means for varying the amount of downward projection of said stopmeans.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS715,746 Boax Dec. 16, 1902 1,966,240 Erdahl July 10, 1934 2,337,177Breslav Dec. 21, 1945 2,384,396 Peyer Sept. 4, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS2,766 Great Britain 1911 622,179 Germany Nov. 22, 1935 Wim

